Thursday 23 December 2021

Habits (सवयी)

 

Habits (सवयी)

There are many kinds of habits. Good habits (चांगली सवय or अच्छी आदत ),  bad habit (वाईट सवय or बुरी   आदत), dirty habit ( खराब सवय  or गंधी आदत) and many more. Some habits are downright funny
or even  crazy!      (चक्क चमत्कारिक आणि  मजेदार !)

One of my cousins had written in his
Facebook story, how he had stopped wearing his wrist watch since the beginning of this pandemic or since the first lockdown , lest he develops that queer habit of turning his wrist from time to time to glance at his watch. You have to read his post to get the exact picture. He paints  the funny situation brilliantly. For that matter, Nrupal Kothare's write - ups  are always interesting and  engrossing.

‌Talking about queer  habits , especially the one he has mentioned , reminds of my cousin, Narayan Dada.
‌He had this  very queer habit of turning his wrist to glance at his watch every minute or so, and hear him exclaim, "साला , इतके वाजले ! निघायला हवे ! "
But he would never leave in a hurry but actually wait till the very end of the party.
And a many times,  someone or other, standing/ sitting opposite him, would yell loud at him in this fashion,, "एनाऱ्या , तुझा पूर्ण ग्लास माझ्या बुटावर उपडा केलास! साला इडियट !!!" Soy my uncles (his friends) would tell me with all the dramatics. Of course, I had witnessed the scene once or twice.

‌Then there was this uncle of mine, Keshav Kaka (माझे चुलत-चुलत काका ).
Very often, day in and day out, he would ask passersby the time,  despite donno a wrist watch. "अहो
वाजले किती'?" And soon he was nick named, 'केशव राव वाजले किती'!

Then there was this professor of ours, who had a strange habit (विचित्र सवय ) .  Neville, do you remember Me Bhagwat, who taught us physics (Inter Science )?
Perhaps, it was not a strange habit, but a genuine medical problem. But during those college days we never thought so. We thought he winked while lecturing us on Physics.  This eye twitching of his (left or right eye, I don't remember) was  great to many of us,  some were , especially the girls not at all happy about it.
The strange habit ( continuation)
We started counting the number times the professor  would ' wink'  during the whole period. Soon the girls too joined in the fun.
But he never tried to seek medical help for this problem.  For saw him, some twenty years after completing  my college. He was playing badminton with my cousin, Uday at Hindi Gymkhana, when I heard  the
shuttle cock asking him," Hey Professor,did you wink' at me?"
Was it my imagination?



Vinay Trilokekar


Ethical Issues


Ethical Issues


Can a medical practitioner advertise his expertise?
According to Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954advertisements by doctors are prohibited in any medium. Any form of promises or advertisements of 'guaranteed treatment' cannot be made by doctor, according to Code of Ethics laid down by Medical Council of India.

Having worked in Pharmaceutical industry for more than forty years, I know how efficiet and vigilant our authorities  were. This kept the whole pharma industry and the medical fraternity always on their toes.

However, these days it is quite different. Many medical practitioners advertise their skills and expertise. Many such videos have become viral. Yet no action has been taken as yet. Issues
Can a medical practitioner advertise his expertise? I am
According to Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954advertisements by doctors are prohibited in any medium. Any form of promises or advertisements of 'guaranteed treatment' cannot be made by doctor, according to Code of Ethics laid down by Medical Council of India.

Having worked in Pharmaceutical industry for more than forty years, I know how efficiet and vigilant our authorities  were. This kept the whole pharma industry and the medical fraternity always on their toes.
However, these days it is quite different. Many medical practitioners advertise their skills and expertise. Many such videos have become viral. Yet no action has been taken as yet.


There are many such videos. Common people easily fall prey to such unethical advertisements.

I am sure some action will be taken shortly.


Vinay Trilokekar



Sunday 19 December 2021

माझी पुस्तके .

 

  • माझी पुस्तके .


Since my post on Facebook  ( I had tagged you in it.) remains incomplete, I had  again  posted the whole piece in parts, which
I am  now posting in myvblmy /  sending on WhatsApp.


                        Part I
                        माझी पुस्तके .
  माझ्या प्रकाशित झालेल्या दोन प्य्स्तकांबद्धल आपणास माहीत  असेलच, ज्यांत  एक आहे इंग्रजीत तर दुसरे मराठीत .

फेसबुक आलेला एक पोस्ट माझ्या
'अदभुत गोष्टींचा संग्रह आणि गोष्ट - एक चित्तथरारक पाठलाग' ह्या पुस्तकाचा अभिप्राय
असून , तो अन्हीप्रय इंग्रजीत लिहिला आहे.
अभिप्राय  छान आहे.  आणि माझे हे पुस्तक वाचण्याची. उत्सुकता आपल्या मनांत झाली असणार , म्हणून ह्या पोस्ट बद्धल मनापासून  धन्यवाद!

अनेकांना वाचनाची आवड तर असते , पण पुस्तकांच्या दुकानांत जाण्याची सवड नसते.  काही हरकत नाही.
खालील लिंक वरून ऍमेझॉन द्वारे पुस्तक घरबसल्या उपलब्द होईल .
( Adbhut Goshticha Sangrah Aani... https://www.amazon.in/dp/9390543975?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share)

केवळ माझ्या मराठी पुस्तका बद्धलची उत्सुकता वाचकाच्या मनात निर्माण करण्याच्या हेतूने मी पुस्तकात महेशने    (कोठारे) लिहिलेली प्रस्तावना आणि मी मानलेले आभार
येथे पोस्ट/ व्हॉट्सअँप करीत आहे

.           FOREWORD /  प्रस्तावना
विनय  त्रिलोकेकर म्हणजे माझा विनय दादा. माझा सख्खा आते भाऊ  माझ्या पेक्षा ७ वर्षांनी मोठा असुनही माझा बाल मित्र. शाळेला सुट्टी पडली की हमखास विनय दादा आमच्या घरी रहायला. म्हणजे माझा तसा आग्रहच नव्हे तर हट्ट असायचा. आम्ही खूप खेळायचो. पण त्याहून मोठी धमाल म्हणजे विनय दादा च्या गोष्टी. त्याची गोष्टी सांगायची स्टाईल अगदी विलक्षण.अक्षरशः
डोळ्या समोर तो चित्रच उभं करायचा. आणि त्यातून त्या गोष्टी थरारक! अधिकतर भूतांच्या! मग काय, नुस्ती धमाल. कदाचित गोष्ट सांगण्याची ही शैली त्याने त्याच्या आई कडून म्हणजे माझ्या आत्या कडून घेतली असावी. कारण मला आठवते, ती सुद्धा खूप छान गोष्टी सांगायची.

विनय दादाच्या गोष्टींचं एक वैशिष्टय होतं. संपूर्ण कथेत ठराविक अंतरानी एक विलक्षण पंच असायचा. आणि तो पंच केव्हां  येईल हे मात्र प्रेडिक्ट करणं अशक्य होतं. आणि म्हणूनच कदाचित आम्ही त्या ऐकताना इतके मंत्रमुग्ध होत असू.  आता हीच शैली कायम ठेऊन, किंबहुना त्यात अनेक वर्षांच्या अनुभवाची भर पडल्या मुळे उत्कंठा कमालीची शीगेला नेण्याची क्षमता असलेला २ भागांचा हा संग्रह त्याने लिहला आहे. माझा विश्वास आहे की वाचकांना हा संग्रह तितकाच प्रभावित करेल जितका मी प्रभावित झालो आणि माझ्या बालपणीचे ते थरारक क्षण वाचक सुद्धा अनुभवतील.O
मन:पूर्वक शुभेच्छा!
महेश कोठार

                                        क्रमशः
                       Part II
Since the earlier post was incomplete, it is continued here:
                       आभार
तसे पाहता प्रत्यक्षपणे किंवा अप्रत्यक्षपणे अनेक लोकांचे हात माझ्या पाठीशी असल्यामुळेच हे पुस्तक लिहिणे मला शक्य झाले. मी माझ्या आई पासून सुरुवात करतो. आईनेच आम्हा सर्व भावंडांना वाचनाची आवड आणि गोडी लावली आणि नंतर ती माझीआवड माझ्या बहिणीनी जोपासली. मला चांगली पुस्तके, विशेष करून मराठी पुस्तके, मिळू लागली आणि माझ्या सारख्या इंग्रजी (माध्यम) शाळेत शिकत असलेल्या मुलाला, आचार्य अत्रे व पु..ल. देशपांडे ह्यांच्या सारखे दिग्गज आणि उत्तम मराठी लेखक आणि मराठी साहित्याचा परिचय झाला.
माझी सर्वात मोठी बहीण एक चांगली पत्रकार आणि नावाजलेली लेखिका असल्यामुळं आमच्या घरी मोठमोठ्यांची वरदळ असायची, आणि त्यांची वेगवेगळ्या विषयांवर चर्चा होत असत. त्या वेळी मी कॉलेजात होतो. कॉमोरेंड तारा रेड्डी ह्यांची साधी राहणी आणि हमीद दलवाई ह्याचे मराठीवर असलेले प्रभुत्व; ह्या सर्व गोष्टींचा माझ्यावर आणि माझ्या भाषेवर
नक्कीच प्रभाव पडला असणार. आपण काही लिहावे असे मला वाटलेही नव्हते. निबंध लिहिणे किंवा कोणाला निबंध लिहिण्यास मदत करणे इतकेच माझे लिखाण मर्यादित होते. पुस्तक लिहिण्याचे खूळ डोक्यात आले नव्हते.
पण ज्यांची मला विशेष मदत लाभली आहे त्यांचे आभार तर मानायलाच हवेत !
मी प्रथम सुरुवात करतो आमच्या महेश पासून. तसे महेश कोठारेंना कोण ओळखत नाही? लहानपणी एक चाईल्ड ऍक्टर (बाल कलाकार) म्हणून मराठी आणि हिंदी चित्रपट  सृष्टीत आलेले महेश आज ते सिने वर्ल्ड मधली मोठी हस्ती आहेत- उत्त्तम कलाकार, दिग्ज दिग्दर्शक आणि जाणकार निर्माते! एवढेच नाही तर आज त्यांच्या 'जय मल्हार'  आणि  ' विठू माऊलीं सारख्या मालिकांना प्रेक्षकांनी चांगलाच प्रतिसाद दिला.  ऐकिवात आहे की 'जय मल्हार'चे  रूपांतर थायलंडच्या थाय भाषेत झाले आहे आणि 'जय मारतंड' नावाने 'झी बिंगवर' गाजली. आपले इतके व्यस्त वेळापत्रकअसून सुद्धा माझ्या ह्या पुस्तका करिता प्रस्तावना लिहिण्यास तयार झालात हेच मी माझे भाग्य समजतो.
धन्यवाद !
नंतर येतो तो म्हणजे माझा मावस भाऊ, किरण कोठारे त्यानेच मुळात मला मराठी लिखाण करण्यास प्रोत्साहित केले. आम्हा दोघांची व्हाट्सअँपवर चॅट्टींग चालते. तसेच ईमेलची देवाण घेवाण होत असते. माझ्या इंग्रजीत लिहिलेल्या लेखांवर तो आपला अभिप्राय देत असतो. एकदा त्याने मी काही मराठीतून लिहिले होते आणि त्याने मराठी लेख लिहिण्याचे सुचविले. माझे काही मराठीतले लेख आणि ब्लॉग वाचून त्याने ते लेख  प्रसिद्ध
करण्याचे सुचविले. अभिप्राय देतांना तो खोटी स्तुती करीत नाही, उगाचच 'वाह वाह ' न करता रोकठोक मत व्यक्त करतो.
माझ्या पत्नीने केलेलं संपूर्ण पुस्तकाचे एडीटींग केले आहे आणि ते सुद्धा घर सांभाळून. ह्या बद्धल तिचे कौतुक करणे आवश्यक आहे. पुस्तककाची   मॅनुस्क्रिप्ट कॉपी करून ५" X 8" पुस्तकाच्या टेम्प्लेटवर पेस्ट करण्याचे किचकट काम माझी मुलगी, मैथिलीने एका रात्रीत केले आणि ते सुद्धा आपल्या दीड वर्षाचा मुलाला सांभाळून !
तसे पाहता प्रत्यक्षपणे किंवा अप्रत्यक्षपणे अनेक लोकांचे हात माझ्या पाठीशी असल्यामुळेच हे पुस्तक लिहिणे मला शक्य झाले. मी माझ्या आई पासून सुरुवात करतो. आईनेच आम्हा सर्व भावंडांना वाचना------
मी शेवटला उल्लेख करतो एका महत्त्वाच्या व्यक्तीचा, ती म्हणजे माझे स्नेही कैलासवासी प्रदीप कोठारे. त्यांनी त्यांच्या प्रभू
तरुण ह्या मासिकात लिहिण्याची मला विनंती केली, गळच घातली. मी त्यांचे हे आमंत्रण स्वीकारून मासिकासाठी लिहू लागलो आणि आज त्यांच्या साठी नियमित लिहितो.  माझे काही त्या मासिकातले वाचल्या नंतर कै. श्रीमती वंदना प्रमोद नवलकर ह्यांनी मला त्यांच्या प्रभू प्रभात मासिका करिता लिहिण्याची विनंती केली. त्यांच्या विनंतीला मान देऊन मी एक लेख लिहिला. पण तो माझा त्यांच्या साठी शेवटचा लेख. वंदना वहिनींचे देहावसान झाले. त्या हयात अस्त्यातर मी आजही प्रभू प्रभात करीता लिहीत असतो. 
चुकून माकून माझ्या कडून कोणाचेही आभार मानण्याचे राहून गेले असेल तर चूकभूल माफ करावी
आपला ,
विनय त्रिलोकेकर

                                      क्रमशः
    
                  Part III

हे सारे ( पहिल्या दोन भागांत) iiझाले माझ्या  मराठीतील पुस्तकाचे.
असो!
आता आपणा सर्वाना कळविण्यास अतिशय  आनंद होतो की ८ जानेवारी ' २१ ते १६ जानेवारी ' २१पर्यंत प्रगती मैदान , नवी दिल्ली येथे  होणाऱ्या 'द न्यू  दिल्ली  वर्ल्ड बुक फेअर'  ह्या पुस्तकांच्या प्रदर्शना साठी मला माझे इंग्रजीतले पुस्तक -
  'My Collection of Supernatural & Paranormal Stories & The story of Crafty George and his wicked ways'.
प्रदर्शित करण्याकरिता आमंत्रित केले आहे आणि मला एक स्लॉट देण्यात आला आहे .

Of course, you can also order this book and get it at your doorstep
Links are given below:
Please find the links below

( For the , English one)
BLUEROSE STORE
https://bluerosepublishers.com/product/my-collection-of-supernatural-paranormal-stories-and-the-story-of-crafty-george-and-his-wicked-ways/

AMAZON
https://www.amazon.in/dp/9390396808?ref=myi_title_dp

FLIPKART
https://www.flipkart.com/my-collection-supernatural-paranormal-stories-story-crafty-george-his-wicked-ways/p/itmfa1c6786b97a6?pid=9789390396801

Link Optimization usually takes some Time, so if the book is unavailable on Either Flipkart or on Amazon It'll be updated in a couple of days. Thank you for your cooperation

Find on social media

    1484836361_square-twitter.png 1484836356_square-facebook.png 1487771825_Instagram-1.png 1484836633_internet_explorer.png

                                        क्रमशः

             Concluding Part IV

           THE WORLD BOOK FAIR
                       AND  Me

तिसऱ्या  भागात मी लिहिल्या प्रमाणे,  ८ जानेवारी ' २१ ते १६ जानेवारी ' २१पर्यंत प्रगती मैदान , नवी दिल्ली येथे  होणाऱ्या 'द न्यू  दिल्ली  वर्ल्ड बुक फेअर'  ह्या पुस्तकांच्या प्रदर्शना साठी मला माझे इंग्रजीतले पुस्तक -
  'My Collection of Supernatural & Paranormal Stories & The story of Crafty George and his wicked ways'.
प्रदर्शित करण्याकरिता आमंत्रित केले आहे आणि मला एक स्लॉट देण्यात आला आहे .  
Yes I am sure that you will help me in your own way, like spreading the word around, especially to those of your friends in Delhi, recommending the book to others with your feedback and reviews . But most importantly, I seek your good wishes and blessings of the Almighty.
I thank you all once again.
माझ्या  मित्र मंडळीनो आणि नातेवाईक मंडळीनो , मला खात्री आहे की आपण सार आपापुल्या पद्धतीने मला सहकार्य नक्कीच कराल , जसे दिल्ली मध्ये होणाऱ्या ह्या बुक फेअर आणि माझे पुस्तक प्रदर्शित करण्याकरिता मला तेथे मिटलेल्या स्लॉट बद्धल  आपल्या सर्व मित्रमंडळींना सांगणे तथा इतरांना  माझे पुस्तक  सांगणे (recommend the book by giving feedback and writing review) माझ्या पुस्तकाचा फीडबॅक /b अभिप्राय लिहून माझे पुस्तक वाचण्यास प्रोत्साहित करणे , वगैरे.
पण सर्वांत महत्त्वाचे म्हणजे आपणा सर्वांच्या शुभेच्छा आणि थोरा मोठ्यांचे आशीर्वा!
ही माझी प्रांजळ , नम्र आणि  मनःपूर्वक विनंती आहे !
आपला ऋणानुं बंधू ,
‌              विनय त्रिलोकेकर

                                               संपूर्ण

   
   


Thursday 25 November 2021

My two books

My two  book

Friends and my dear readers, you have been reading my blogs. So far, about 150 blogs have been published and I am working on a few more. I thank you all for the same. I have also written a few articles in some magazines. My blogs and articles are in English & Marathi.
My two books, one in English आणि दुसरे मराठीत, have  come out  nicely. Both are   simultaneously  published with two different publishers.Genre of both the books is fiction, or you may say, supernatural fiction.

My book in English is  titled ' My Collection of Supernatural & Paranormal Stories & The story of Crafty George and his wicked ways'
अदभुत गोष्टींचा संग्रह आणि गोष्ट - एक चित्तथरारक पाठलाग_is the one in Marathi. 
वाचनाची आवड तर आहे , पण पुस्तकांच्या दुकानांत जाण्याची सवड नाही . बरोबर?  This is exactly what happens with many.  But don't worry.
Well, you can have my books at your doorsteps.

Please find the links below
(Book in English)

BLUEROSE STORE
https://bluerosepublishers.com/product/my-collection-of-supernatural-paranormal-stories-and-the-story-of-crafty-george-and-his-wicked-ways/
AMAZON
https://www.amazon.in/dp/9390396808?ref=myi_title_dp
FLIPKART
https://www.flipkart.com/my-collection-supernatural-paranormal-stories-story-crafty-george-his-wicked-ways/p/itmfa1c6786b97a6?pid=9789390396801

Link Optimization usually takes sometine, so if the book is unavailable on Either Flipkart or on Amazon It'll be updated in a couple of days. Thank you.
    Thanks
  My book in Marathi
https://www.amazon.com/Adbhut-Goshticha-Sangrah-Aani-Gosht-ebook/dp/B08T5W1BJ4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Vinay+trilokekar&qid=1611150149&sr=8-1
Do read and give your feedback/ review. I shall be highly obliged.
Thanks and regards,

Friends and my dear readers, you have been reading my blogs. So far, about 150 blogs have been published and I am working on a few more. I thank you all for the same. I have also written a few articles in some magazines. My blogs and articles are in English & Marathi.
My two books, one in English आणि दुसरे मराठीत, have  come out  nicely. Both are   simultaneously  published with two different publishers.Genre of both the books is fiction, or you may say, supernatural fiction.

My book in English is  titled ' My Collection of Supernatural & Paranormal Stories & The story of Crafty George and his wicked ways'
अदभुत गोष्टींचा संग्रह आणि गोष्ट - एक चित्तथरारक पाठलाग_is the one in Marathi. 
वाचनाची आवड तर आहे , पण पुस्तकांच्या दुकानांत जाण्याची सवड नाही . बरोबर?  This is exactly what happens with many.  But don't worry.
Well, you can have my books at your doorsteps.

Please find the links below
(Book in English)

BLUEROSE STORE
https://bluerosepublishers.com/product/my-collection-of-supernatural-paranormal-stories-and-the-story-of-crafty-george-and-his-wicked-ways/
AMAZON
https://www.amazon.in/dp/9390396808?ref=myi_title_dp
FLIPKART
https://www.flipkart.com/my-collection-supernatural-paranormal-stories-story-crafty-george-his-wicked-ways/p/itmfa1c6786b97a6?pid=9789390396801

Link Optimization usually takes sometine, so if the book is unavailable on Either Flipkart or on Amazon It'll be updated in a couple of days. Thank you.
    Thanks
  My book in Marathi
https://www.amazon.com/Adbhut-Goshticha-Sangrah-Aani-Gosht-ebook/dp/B08T5W1BJ4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Vinay+trilokekar&qid=1611150149&sr=8-1
Do read and give your feedback/ review. I shall be highly obliged.
Thanks and regards,

Vinay Trilokekar


Tuesday 23 November 2021

सवयी

 

सवयी

सवयीचे अनेक प्रकार ,    वाईट सवय (बुरी   आदत or bad habit), खराब सवय ( गंधी आदत or dirty habit),  चांगली सवय (अच्छी आदत or good habit),  इत्यादी प्रकार. पण काही सवयी तर चक्क चमत्कारिक आणि  मजेदार असतात. Yes, you may call them downright funny
or even  crazy!

बघा ना , माझ्या एका मामे भाभावाने स्वतःला एका सवयी पासून दूर ठेवण्या साठी  मनगटी घड्याळ (wrist watch) घालणे चक्क सोडले !
कोठेही गेलो असता , चार चौघात दर मिनिटाला आपण आपल्या घड्याळात  पाहून आपल्या सामोरील  व्यक्तीला  अडचणीत     पाडायचे का ?
ह्या विचित्र सवयी (queer  habit)
वरून मला माझ्या चुलत भाऊ , नारायण दादाची आठवण झाली.त्यालाही हीच सवय जडली होती. कोणा कडेही  किंवा कोणताही कार्यक्रम असो   मिनिटा मिनिटाला आपल्या मनगटावरील घडल्यात पाहणे दादाचे चालू असायचे , आणि त्याचे बरोबर त्याचे,
‌ "साला , इतके वाजले ! निघायला हवे !" ( But he never left in a hurry. In fact, he stayed put till the very  end.)
आणि मनगटावरील घड्याळ तपासताना आपल्या हाथात काय आहे त्याचे ध्यान नसे
मग त्यांच्या समोर उभे किंवा बसलेल्या व्यक्ती कडून असे ओरडणे ऐकू येई ,
" नाऱ्या , तुझा पूर्ण ग्लास माझ्या बुटावर  आणि पँट्सवर उपडा केलास!
  साला इडियट !!!"

माझे चुलत-चुलत काका , केशव राव मनगटात असून देखील गल्लीतून येत जाता लोकांना किती वाजले हे विचारीत . केशव काकांना '
 'केशव राव वाजले किती',  असे टोपण नाव पडले.

विचित्र सवयी नसून हा कदाचित ह्या गृहस्थांचा एक जेनुइन मेडिकल प्रॉब्लेम म्हणजे खरी
वैद्यकीय समस्या असू शकेल.पण कॉलेज मध्ये असताना त्यांच्या सवयीची  आम्हा मुलांना गंमत वाटे , मात्र काहींना (especially, the girls) राग येत असे . आमच्या प्रोफेसर भागवयांचा (उजवा किंवा डावा ) डोळा लवत असे आणि आम्ही त्याला डोळा मारतात असे असे समजलो ! ते शिकवत असलेल्या फिसिक्स ह्या विषया कडे लक्ष होते कुठे ? ते संपूर्ण पिरियड भर किती वेळा डोळा मारतात हे माजून टिपू लागलो आणि वर्गभर  शेअर करू लागलो आमच्या मैत्रिणीही त्यांत सहभागी होऊ लागल्या !
ते डोळा मारीत नसावेत पण त्यांनी  आपल्या ह्या समस्से वर  इलाज / वैद्यकीय उपचार घेतला मात्र नव्हता .  कित्येक वर्षांनी  (कॉलेज नंतर २०-२५ वर्षांनी ) , ते माझ्या मावस भावाबरोबर बॅडमिंटन खेळात होते आणि ... शटल  कॉक ओरडले " हे काय करतोस ? चक्क मला डोळा मारतोस !"

विनय त्रिलोकेकर

Thursday 21 October 2021

बुरसटलेले विचार!

 बुरसटलेले विचार!


मला व्हॉटसॅपवर (on WhatsApp) असे पोस्ट मिळाले. पोस्ट पाहून पाठ्वण्याऱ्याची कीव वाटली. किती हे बुरसटलेले विचार!


आपण अशा पोस्टची सहमत नसाल तर तो पुढे पाठवू (forward) नये किंवा त्यावर आपले मत व्यक्त करावे असे मला वाटते.
आज आपण पहातो अनेक स्त्रिया कॉर्पोरेट क्षेत्रात उच्च पद सांभाळून आपल्या घराकडे - मुलाबाळांकडे चांगल्या रीतीने बघतात. ऑफिस मधला त्यांचा पोशाख (office attire) त्यांच्या कोणत्याच कामा आड येत नसतो. ही माणसे अजून आईच्या पदराचाच आधार घेत असावीत. असो. 

किरण बेदी ज्यांच्या विषयी आपण नेट वरून (विकिपीडिया -Wikipedia) बरेच जणू शकता. सुटा-बुटातील ह्या महिलेने आपली कन्या सुकृतीला भरपूर आनंद दिलाच असावा आणि कोणतीही हयगय ना करता उत्तम क्षिक्षण देऊन मोठे केले.

डॉक्टर मॉनिका ह्या एक उत्तम आणि प्रख्यात स्त्री रोग तज्ज्ञ (gynaecologist) आहेत. बहपैलू असे त्यांचे व्यक्तिमत्व. हौस म्हणून त्या डी. जे. (A disc jockey) बनणे आणि वेस्टर्न पेहराव घालून आपला पेशा व घर सांभाळून दोन मुलींना उच्च क्षिक्षण देत आहेत. त्या अतिशय विनम्र म्हणजे इंग्रजीत आपण डाउन टू अर्थ (down to earth) आहेत. 

आणि हे पहा एका मुलाने (NRI) लिहिलेले  पत्र मी ते शब्तशः(in verbatim) पुन्हा सादर करीत आहे :

I am of course sad that when  Aai passed away none of you guys were around at her funeral but that is the price you pay when you want to be away from your roots. I must say that Aai over the years after my dad passed away became more aware of her strengths which she didn’t have the avenue to demonstrate earlier. I always tried to give her space and do what she wanted. I am a bit disappointed with myself that I should have thought of getting her remarried. But by the time I realized it was a bit late. It didn’t even strike me that I should think of it seriously even when few of my American friends used to ask me if she is going to get re-married. The way they think is – hey you live until 80-90 years – an everyone needs companion – but coming from that culture it was initially a bit awkward to think but then I realized my mistake.. 
Over the years Aai had begun to love US as I could see her adaptability to go to stores, library and travel by herself. She was to a large extend dressing more in pants, t-shirt and shoes too. I believe she was at peace (she looked also very calm on the death bed) and wanted to pass away in my house and in US.
Fortunately for me there is an Indian family who treats me as their son and this lady Shah Aunty (My US mom) took charge and took care of me as a mother and guided me through Aai’s  ceremony and continues to exert right over me as her son.
Well it was very nice to get an email from you. We have been lucky that we come from a broad minded and educated background. We should surely keep in touch and continue on these lines.

आणि ह्या सुटा-बुटातल्या बाई कोण? ओळखता का?


इंद्रा नूयी नाव ओळखीचे वाटते? अलीकडे अमेरिकेच्या राष्ट्र अध्यक्षांच्या निवडणूक प्रचाराच्या वेळी? होय, अगदी बरोबर! हिलरी क्लिंटन ह्यांना त्यांनी साथ दिली. आणि डोनाल्ड ट्रम्प राष्ट्र अध्यक्ष झाल्यावर त्यांनी एक मुलाखतीत निवणूक प्रचाराच्या वेळी ट्रम्प ह्यांनी स्त्रियां बद्धल अप्रतिष्ठीत उद्दगारा  वरून असे म्हंटले :
शब्दशः(in verbatim) पुन्हा सादर करीत आहे:: 
“Forget about the Pepsi brand. How dare you talk about women that way. If we don’t nip this in the bud it is going to be a lethal force in society. I had to answer a lot of questions from my daughters, from our employees. They were all in mourning. Our employees were all crying. And the question that they're asking, especially those who are not white, is 'Are we safe?' Women are asking 'Are we safe?' LGBT people are asking 'Are we safe?' I never thought I would have to answer those questions,"   आणि त्या पुढे म्हणाल्या,

"How dare we talk about women that way. I don't think there's a place for that kind of language in any part of society, not in locker rooms, not in football players' homes, not in any place. And, if we don't nip it in the bud, Andrew, this is going to be lethal force that's going to take over society.There was an overemphasis on candidates creating sound bites and social media-ready quotes throughout the election, which resulted in a failure to discuss real political issues in a nuanced manner. I believe Americans needed to unite and accept the outcome of the election.The process of democracy happened.We just need to let life go on.
 आणि ट्रम्प ह्यांचे अभिनंदन करून नागरिकांना आपले स्त्रियां बद्धलचे विचार केवळ "election talk"होते हे त्यांनी सिद्ध करावे. 
 इंद्रा नूयी ह्यांचा जन्म २८ ऑक्टोबर,१९५५ साली मद्रास येथे झाला. त्यांचे शालेय शिक्षण होली एंजलस अँग्लो इंडियन हायर सेकंडरी स्कुल  पूर्ण झाले. १९७४ साली त्या भौतिकशास्त्र (Physics), रसायनशास्त्र (Chemistry) आणि गणित (Mathematics) घेऊन  मद्रास ख्रिश्चन कॉलेज मधून B.S. १९७४ मध्ये उत्तीर्ण झाल्या आणि पुढे कलकत्त्यातील इंडियन इन्स्टिट्यूट ऑफ मॅनॅजमेण्ट मधून एम बी ए (MBA ) झाल्या. त्यांची पुढील वाटचाल परदेशात झाली. आज त्या पेप्सी कंपनीच्या सी इ ओ (CEO) असून त्यांची  जगातील १०० पॉवरफुल विमेन मध्ये गणना होते. 

तेंव्हा आपले बुरसटलेले आणि मागासलेले विचार सोडून जाणून घ्या की स्त्रीचा पेहराव तिची खरी ओळख नसते आणि हे आपले संकुचित विचार आपल्या मुलांवर लादु नका, त्यांना चांगले शिक्षण देऊन त्यांची जोपासना करा!
                                                                                                   विनय त्रिलोकेकर 

Saturday 2 October 2021

A big thank you, Dr. Jay Dhurandhar!

 

A big thank you, Dr. Jay !


It is 25th September, 2021. Oh, Jay, on your 82nd birth anniverjsary,  I reposting my entire blog once again:

You have gone away, but you will always remain in our hearts forever! I

WE THE PIONEERS OF TWENTY 20- GACHHICRICKET - THE TERRACE CRICKET

As I pass by this site at Hughes Road ( Pandita Ramabai Marg) I imagine that there still stands the AJINKYA MANSION and.....

 ---- A tennis ball comes down the terrace. Thud --- it has fallen  on the roof of the temple opposite, another thud---it is down on the road below.---“Ball please”--- “Throw the ball, please”, we are all shouting from the gachhi (terrace) above. Ganpat and Laxuman already down on the road to fetch the ball. The ball is retrieved by Ganpat of course (he can spot or even smell the ball, it seems). Then you hear, “the whole team is out”. “Ha, ha, ha!”---- the laughter in unison of the opponents. “No way, it was not off the bat”. “It’s a tenner”. The scene ran past my eyes. I almost laughed out loudly.

 “Hey bhai, kanha khoye ho?”, a shout from the taxi driver, jolts me back to the reality. The Ajinkya Mansion stood no more.  but my journey down the memory lane continues.

‌Every Sunday afternoon (almost every Sunday) there would be a knock on the door.  Even without opening the door I would know that Sandeep had come to tell us that it was time to leave. It was our routine on Sundays- all four of us – Sandeep, Amar, Siddhartha and I would leave our house and assemble in the terrace of Ajinkya Mansion much before others would. Soon the other regulars would join. Jay, Viju, Bandu, Kiran, Salil, Dilip, Amit, Laxuman and Ganpat were the other regulars. We, the regulars played practically every Sunday - the practice games. The other gang would join the fun on the Match Day ( a monthly affair). Mahesh (Mahesh Kothare), Suresh (Suresh Mankar), Anik, Nrupal (Nrupal Kothare), Ashit (Ashit Prabhakar), Paras (Paras Doshi) and a few others that enabled us to form the two teams fighting for the Jenma Trophy (needless to say sponsored by Mahesh). Kunal (Kunal Vijayakar) must have come twice or thrice at the most. He had stopped playing ever since he had that verbal exchange with Kiran, his maternal uncle. He had dropped a few catches and the uncle was very furious with him.  Nikhil and Pravin came once in blue moon. Akshay too came some times.

‌(Mahesh Kothare) and Jay (Late Dr. Jay Dhurandhar) would invariably be the opposing captains. In case I had done well in the practice game on the previous Sunday, I would land in Jay’s team, if not then was thrown in the other team and so was the fate of the other regular players as well. Viju always kept wickets for Mahesh's team and Jay kept it for his own team. Jay had a big say in making the rules of the game. We all know that cricket is a funny game and our rules made it more so. I think, we should also get credit for the phrase / idiom 'Rules are made to be broken'. If a ball bowled went full toss out of the terrace the batting team would get a Tenner (ten runs). As the luck would have it – the first tenner ever given to the opponents was by none other than Jay. Then there was this funny concept of the Whole Team Getting Out. In case the ball hit by a batsman went down and out of the terrace, the whole team (remaining batsmen) was declared out. I remember – I was playing for Jay’s team (I remember quite clearly) and had opened the innings for them. After scoring some runs, I saw a juicy full toss from Mahesh and bang- I hit the ball – high-high it went- Oh no! Out of the terrace! The whole team out! The rule was soon abolished. Mahesh had a unique way of fielding – falling flat on the ball- stopping the ball, more by the body mass than his own anticipation. Ashit bowled both off breaks and leg breaks with same grip.( I confess now -  I always found it hard to guess which way the ball would turn) Laxuman’s grip was equally unique- holding the blade of the bat with his left hand and the right hand just lightly touching the handle – he would take the left - hander's stance and pivoting his body on his toes he would swing his bat with all his might. Either bowled or a six were the only possible result. Jay was an expert in the reverse sweep stroke until once Bandu ( playing for the opponents) had scored more runs by reverse sweeping. A new rule was immediately framed - Reverse Sweep not allowed.There was no running between wickets.(most of us were simply unable to run - being obese, bulky,over weight, etc. Sandeep and Kiran being the exceptions) No ones, twos or threes – We dealt only in boundaries. A hit on the parapet wall scored a ‘4’ and a full toss hit , a ‘6’. Then there was this tenner by default. Bowling was under arm and each batsman was allotted 4 overs, one each from four different bowlers. Thus each team would play around 20 overs.  So you see we were the first – to start the limited overs Twenty-20 Cricket. Had there been Under- Arm Cricket World Cup, many of us would have played for India.

We were free from match fixing. We fought fiercely. At times the tempers would run very high. There would banging of bats on the floor (thank God Ajinkyas and Dhurandhars occupied the floor below and not any other tenant) and throwing of caps on the ground and shouts of “No way, no way”. Nrupal , Kiran , Mahesh and Jay were experts in throwing tantrums. Perhaps Uday (Dr. Uday Goraksha) was the coolest one. Umpiring was the prerogative of the batting side. Some times we did have a guest umpire, mostly Amber mama (Mahesh's father) and whenever he did officiate, Mahesh’s team would invariably lose - all the umpiring decisions by him were then ruled in favour of the opponents. May be wanted to prove a point – that he would never favour his son or his team. Nevertheless, all of it was a great fun. In between the serious business of playing, we had some lighter moments too. Once, a ball had fallen down in the chowk below and Ganpat ran across and peeped down to spot the ball so that he could retrieve it without wasting time in searching for it. As he dashed across he banged against Sandeep who was also leaning from the terrace parapet. Sandeep’s spectacles went cart – wheeling down below and fell in the chowk as well. After the customary apologies Ganpat ran down. He soon found the ball the specs as well and then he shouted from the chowk , “ चष्म्याला काहीही झाले नाही, फक्त काच फुटलाय आणि एक काढी तेव्हढी तुटलाय. बाकी चष्मा ठीक आहे -  (Nothing has happened to the specs. Only the glasses are smashed ----)  Up until now Sandeep had taken every thing sportingly (he had even remarked that it was just an accident) But now Sandeep was seething with anger! And it was like rubbing salt to the wound, when Mahesh joked " It's okay. Get them. Sandeep will use them as magnifying glasses". Now Sandeep was fuming. But then he was in Mahesh's team and even batted without the specs, scoring good runs for the team. That was sportsman spirit for you.He was declared the Man Of The Match.

After the match – the dinner party, the Revolving or rather Rotating Trophy (as it always remained in Jay’s Consulting Room) would be handed over to the winning captain with all the fan fare, snaps being taken, thank you speeches and what not. But most of us more interested in the glasses in our hands and jokes and gossiping sessions. Arvind  bhauji was always in his elements and enlivened the party with his crispy jokes. He was also informative, encyclopedia on Foods - what was good in the Police Canteen, which Irani served the best keema pav, where were the best Falooda or  Ferni joints, so on and so forth. (Kunal must have had his grooming lessons done here)  Sandeep has inherited this gift (to some extent). SANDEEP!--- that reminds me—Once after our match Jay had announced that Sandeep Patil was to come for the party as the chief guest. No one believed him .We thought that it was one of his usual dhap (bluff). But there he was, in Sandeep Patil in person! Sandeep Patil had come with Ramdas Padhey. Their wives too had accompanied them. Naturally he was offered a drink. Initially, he declined to accept our offer. But after a lot of coxing by all of us, he went, had some discussion with his spouse and said, “I shall have a beer”. I do not know what made him change his mind or was he seeking permission to drink? 

There were others too, who hardly participated in our cricket matches but came and made these parties enjoyable. Kunal ( Vijayakar) with his Striptease Act – the twisting and wriggling motion  of his torso, turning his neck from one side to the other, then removing the T - Shirt and throwing it in the crowd (at this juncture some one or the other would stop him from going any further) – The whole act was a treat to watch. Nitin’s (Mankar) Don Scene – Khainke pan Banaras walla – was always fresh. (His sudden passing away was very shocking and sad). We miss all this and many who have left us. Yes, Jay we miss you so much. 

 As I stand near this construction site, oblivious of the traffic and the people around, I look up --there isn't any terrace------ hear no shouts from above of 'ball please'---  huge metallic sheets block my view, hiding the site where once stood tall  - Ajinkya Mansion



And the clink - clank  continues - am kmidst  the loud metallic sounds the 'Haya hoosh' and 'Gop - Nikal' of the labourers is all that I hear.. 

But memories come rushing back ---Simply nostalgic!

Oh Jay, we surely miss you. But you will always remain in our hearts. Thank you so much for giving us those wonderful and  unforgettable moments.


Vinay Trilokekar

Monday 6 September 2021

नावात काय आहे

 नावात काय आहे?

कोणा एका मोठ्या लेखकाने असे  लिहिले आहे " नावात काय आहे " (वास्तुविक मला माहीत आहे -शेक्सपिअरच्या रोमिओ ज्युलिएट मधले हे आहे. पण असे लिहिण्याची एक पद्धत असते.)
पण आईचे तसे नसायचे.ती म्हणत असे नावात सर्व काही.
कोणत्याही  व्यक्तीच्या नावात कसला आणि कोणताही बदल करणे तिला अजिबात मान्य नव्हते . त्यावर ती ठाम असायची . कोणाला संबोधित करायचे झाले तर त्या व्यक्तीच्या संपूर्ण  व खऱ्या नावानेच करण्या चे आम्हाला बंधनकारक असायची .टोपण किंवा  संक्षिप्त (abreviated names) नावे बिलकुल नाही!
म्हणूनच माझ्या एका मित्राला रवींद्र असे म्हणायचो . जरी इतर त्याला ( त्याची आई देखील ) रवी म्हणायची . तसेच आजवर मी  ह्या माझ्या सोबत्यांना त्यांच्या खऱ्या नावानेच संबोधित करतो उदारणतः गजेंद्र प्रफुल्ल
ल विलास इत्यादी
माझ्या  कडून किंवा माझ्या  कोणत्याही बहिणी  कडून  कोणाच्याही नवा बाबतीत चूक होत नसे .चुकून झ्याल्यास आई कडून हे सुनावले जाई , ," त्याचे नाव खोडू नकोस, कोणाच्या नावात केलेली अशी चीर फाड मला मुळीच आवडत नाही ..."
आईचे स्वताःचया नवा बाबतीत  तसेच असायचे.तिच्या अलक- किशोरी ह्या नावाचा तिला फार अभिमान होता.
माझे बाबा एकटेच कसे तिला अलक किशोरी ह्या तिच्या संपूर्ण नावाने हाकमारीत
आणि  तिच्या ह्याच नावाची सर्व  अधिकृत कागदोपत्री नोंद आहे.
तसे आईला  फ्रेंच किंवा आफ्रिकन नावांचा परिचय नव्हता  नाहीतर ...
Albert  Camus  हा आल्बेर काम्यू (फ्रेंच albɛʁ kamy) 
का व कसा?S मधला स कोठे गेला ?
अगाथाच्या   Hercule Poirot  पायरॉ  मधला ट कोठे हरवला ? Hansie Cronje
क्रोनजे नसून  क्रोनिए कसे ?
असे अनेक  प्रश्न तिला पडले असते. अस
The other day  (' other day' म्हणजे मराठीत आपणा लिहितो ' त्या दिवशी '
ही पण एक लिहायची पद्धत आहे.. वास्तविक ही ३ - ४  पूर्वीची गोष्ट्ट असावी .) माझा एक मामे भाऊ , नृपाल कोठारे आपल्या मुलाच्या निमंत्रण पत्रिका घेऊन घरो आला होता.
":विनय, तुझ्या बहिणींच्या चिठ्ठ्या पण तुला  देतो. Please... "
. (आम्ही सारे PP लोक, आमंत्रण  पत्रिकेला
  चिठ्ठी म्हणतो . होय चक्क चिठ्ठी म्हणतो !पण  अम्हा PP लोकांतील एक funny aspect'  - मजेदार पैलू  किंवा एक विनोदी  प्रकार म्हणूया.)
माझ्या तीन बहिणी आणि त्यांच्या  परिवाराचे आमंत्रण मी स्वीकारले . पण एक निमंत्रण पत्राने माझे लक्ष् वेधले - त्यावर लिहिले होते , 'शिबानी विजय तळपदे'. माझ्या चेहर्या वरील आश्चर्य पाहून ( आम्ही तिला शुभ म्हणतो ), नृपाल म्हणाला , " Mummy told me that her name is Shibaani and not Shubha, as all of us call her... In fact, your mom had told her so. Mummy had specifically told me that , " अरे नृपाल अलकवंस  सांगत असत माझ्या शुभाचे खरे नाव शिबानी आहे पण बिचारीला शुभनि किंवा शुभा   , असे काही म्हणतात. तेंव्हा तू  तिचे नाव बरोबर लिही."
( वंस'म्हणजे नणंद   आणि हा आमच्यातील  एक खास ठेवणीतील शब्द  आहे . आता थोडा दुर्मिळ झाला आहे.)  असो..
आईचे नवा बाबतीत असे होते.

आई आणि  बेबी ताई   नावांच्या  बाबतीत दोन परस्पर विरुद्ध टोक ! एकीला (आई ) नावात कोणताही  बदल / फेरफार  केलेला चालतनसे तर दुसरीला (बेबी ताई) एखाद्याच्या नावात बदल करण्यात मजा येत असावी -  ती तो आपला हक्क मनात असावी

‌कदाचित प्रफुल्लचे. पप्या होण्या मागे, गजेंद्रचे  गजा होणे तसेच इतरांच्या नावात ऍकारान्ती शेवट होणे ,  जसे  विलासचे विल्या  मध्ये रूपांतर. ह्यात बेबी ताईचा हात ( किंवा डोके असावे अशी मला दाट शक्यता  वाटते.    वरच्या मजल्यावरील सुभोधा झाली   शुभी आणि तिची बहीण कुमुदिनी झाली कुमू (Not ‘Kammo’ from ‘The 3 Idiots’).
‌.  घर मालक आणि त्यांच्या मुलाबाळांचे सोडा नोकर ( गाडी ) मंडळी ह्या बदलीकरणातून सुटले नाहीत. गौर्या नाथ्या , गण्या..  पण निलेशचे निळटॅ कसे हे कोडे आहे. मात्र ह्यातून सुटला आजीचा सखाराम. मालकीणबाई त्याला सखा म्हणार कशी काय?
‌बिल्डिंग मध असलेल्या टॉमी  कुत्रा बनला टाम्या !

ताई जशी टोपण नावे ठेवण्यात माहीर होती तशीच ती गोष्ट्टी सांगण्यातही .
  मराठी माधयमातून शिक्षण  घेऊन सुद्धा ती  इंग्रजि  सिनेमाची गोष्ट कशी सांगू शकते ह्याचे मला नेहमीच नवल वाटायचे.
‌  इंग्लिश नट नात्यांचे ज्ञान अघात होते. लहानपणी तिच्या कडून ऐकलेल्या इंग्लिश चित्रपटांच्या गोष्ट्टी  मुळेच ते सारे चित्रपट पाहण्याची उत्सुकता आणि कुतूहल  वाढत असे . तिने केलेली शिफारस आणि वर्णन ह्या मुळेच मी  What A Way To  Go, An Affair To Remember, Gone With The Wind, and many other movies.       

हे सारे चित्रपट संधीची मिळताक्षणीच मी पाहिले
मला अजून ती दिवाळीची रात्र आठवते. आम्ही सारे देवा आनंदचा 'हम दोनो' हा चित्रपट पाहायला गेलो होता. लीला चिटणीस ह्यांची एन्ट्री होते न होतेच आणि बेबी ताई ओरडली, " ही बघा आली सुमंतची आई! रडायला तयार रहा तुम्ही सारे. थोड्या वेळात ती मरणार!" आम्ही सारे हसलो खरे पण इतर प्रेक्षक आमच्यावर खेकचले. सुमंतच्या आईत आणि लीला चिटणीस ह्यांच्या मध्ये विलक्षण साम्य तर होतेच पण लीला चिटणीस बऱ्याच चित्रपटात आजारी व खंगलेल्या जीर्ण-  भूमिका सादर करीत असे .  बिचारी सुमंतची आई आपल्या आयुष्यातच ही भूमिका करीत होती!पुढे आम्हाला कोणत्याही चित्रपटात लीला चिटणीस दिसल्या की सुमंतच्या आईची आठवण होणे  आणि बेबी ताईचा हा किस्सा आठवून हसू येणे स्वाभाविक होते. एकदा मार खाण्याची 
वेळ देखील आली पण शिव्या खाण्यावरच 
निभावले,  "सा #$, तुम लोगोने पिक्चर देखी होगी। इतना सीरियस सीन चल रहा है और आप लोग हासते हो? चुपचाप बैठो वरना मार खाओगे।"

माझ्या आईचा एक मावस भाऊ होता. ताईने त्याला टोपण नाव दिले 'गामडू मामा'. 'गामडू' म्हणजे नेमके काय? ताईने सांगितले, "गबाळ्या - गामडू ." आणि खरोखर तो गबाळेपणाचा एक प्रतिरूप किंवा सार (EPITOME) होता. 

माझे चुलत-चुलत काका, केशव काकांना '
 'केशव राव वाजले किती',  असे नाव तिनेच  दिले असावे. 
बिचारे आमचे काका!

एकदा मी तिला विचारले, "काय ग ताई, तुला ही  टोपण नावे सुचतात 
कशी?"

"विनय, नावे देणे' ही आपल्या जातीची 
खासियत  . जातीत कित्येकांना नावे पडल्यात,   आहे ना? - कानबोका, बाबा-नळी, हगऱ्या बंड्या, चोर बाळ्या, वश्या बोकड, बहिरा राव, चपल्या, कावळ्या, बदक - काय, काय ही नावे! तुझाxcxxzvvvx हा आहे ना, त्याच्या आईला बदकी म्हणतात. कोण ते 
 समझले? काही घराण्यालाच नावे आहेत - बोकडांकडचे व मांजऱ्याकडचे. बाबा नळीला नाव कसे पडले माहित आहे? लहानपणी त्याने एका लग्नात, गणपती पूजनाच्या वेळी  वडिलांना 'बाबानळी, मला नळी पाहिजे' असे हटाने सांगितले आणि तेंव्हा पासून तो झाला' "बाबानळी'!
बाबा लगीन' झपाटलेला ह्या चित्रपटातील हे वाक्य महेशने बाबा नळी वरूनच घेतले असावे.

कित्येक वेळा आपण सारे त्या व्यक्तींना फक्त   त्यांच्या ओळखत असतो आणि त्यांची खरी (मूळ) नावे आपल्याला माहितही नसतात. एकदा हे कानबोके गृहस्त माझ्या अंबरमामाकडे गेले. माझ्या मामे  भाऊ, महेशने त्यांचे असे स्वागत केले, " Oh, Mr. Kanboke do come in. We were expecting you,sir. Daddy! Jenma! Mr. Kanboke has already come."

हे कानबोके तेंव्हा आपल्या कानांपासून नका पर्यंत नक्कीच लाल बुंद झाले असवेत. 
आणि  माझ्या मामा मामीने त्याला समज दिल्या नंतर तो असे ओरडलाही असेल, "Damn it! I wasn't aware of his real name.


विनय  त्रिलोकेकर


Friday 13 August 2021

My Two Books Published

 My Two  Books Published.





In my private WhatsApp messages to my friends/ acquaintances  I had informed about my books that have been published.

(My two books, one in English आणि दुसरे मराठीत, have  come out  nicely. Both are   simultaneously  published with two different publishers.Genre of both the books is fiction, or you may say, supernatural fiction. 


My book in English is  titled ' My Collection of Supernatural & Paranormal Stories & The story of Crafty George and his wicked ways'

अदभुत गोष्टींचा संग्रह आणि गोष्ट - एक चित्तथरारक पाठलाग_is the one in Marathi.  

वाचनाची आवड तर आहे , पण पुस्तकांच्या दुकानांत जाण्याची सवड नाही . बरोबर?  This is exactly what happens with many.  But don't worry.

Well, you can have my books at your doorsteps.) I had even given the links for ordering the books.

In response to my  appeal  and on recommendation of Kunal Vijayakar in his Facebook Post; many of you, have ordered either my book in English or Marathi.  Some have have ordered both the books. In fact, Kunal has penned the  Foreword for the English book. Thank you Kunal once again. I shall post his Foreword of the book . 

Likewise, my cousin, Mahesh  Kothare has penned the FOREWORD /  प्रस्तावना for the Marathi book. I shall post the same on Facebook.

In case, anyone desires to have the links for ordering my books, do let me know.

I thank each one of you who have already ordered  my bopk

Please give your feedback, which is very important for me. 

Vinay Trilokekar 

Sunday 8 August 2021

एरंडेल तेल'

 

एरंडेल तेल

'एरंडेल तेल'  सध्या नावानेच मला अजूनही धडकी बसते. आमच्या घरी 'एरंडेल तेल' पाजण् याचा एक भयानक कार्यक्रम महिन्यातून एकदा तरी होत असे. त्यातून कोणच सुटले नाही - पुष्पा पासून आमच्या सर्व भाची-भाचे मंडळी पर्यंत. मी मात्र माझ्या दोन्ही मुलांना त्याची झळ लागू दिली नाही. पुष्पा आवडीने पिहित असे. मला पिताना अंगावर काटा येत असे,  आईचे ते मला सांगणे, " मोजून दीड चमचा  देते" आणि कपात चमचा तिरका धरीत बाटलीतून 'एरंडेल तेल' घालण्यास सुरवात  होत असे पण  अर्धा  कप भरला तरी तेलाची धार चालूच - मग डोळे मिटून, नाक दाबीत कसे  बसे  तेल गिळणे! तुम्ही हे भयानक 'पेय' प्याहाला नसाल तर तुम्हाला आम्ही ह्या दिव्यातून कसे गेलो त्याची साधी कल्पना देखील करता येणार नाही.  त्या तेलाचा स्वाद - तुमच्या रुचिज्ञानकलिकाना (taste buds) गोड ,आंबट , तिकट , कडू हे स्वाद माहित  असतील. पण आणखी असतो एक स्वाद आणि तो म्हणजे एरंडेल तेलाचा - एक चमत्कारिक असा स्वाद आणि तो लपविण्यासाठी आई एरंडेल तेल वेग- वेगळ्या माध्यमातून देऊ लागली - सुरवातीला चहातून, मग झाले रॉस्बेरी - पिऊन  झाल्यावर दिवस भर येणारव  ते भीषण ढेकर!
एरंडेल तेलाचा नेमका स्वाद काय? Google
  प्रमाणे  ह्या  भयानक तेलाचा  स्वाद  पेट्रोलियम  जेली  सारखा  असतो माझ्या  एका   बहीण निशा म्हणण्या प्रमाणे " गिळगिळीत " हा शब्द  उच्चीत होय.
जेंव्हा  जेंव्हा घरी एरंडेल तेलाचा कार्यक्रम असे  तेंव्हा मी आजी  कडे  पळायचो. पण प्रत्त्येक वेळा  असफल होत असे तेथेही मा झी ह्या एरंडेल तेला पासून सुटका  होत नसे. मी कसा एक  ' रोल मॉडेल आहे: असे  महेशला जैनीमामी सांगत मला एरंडेल घेयायला भाग पाडीत असे आणि  माझा अक्षरशः बकरा  होत असे. दरम्यान मी एक  युक्ती शिकलो.  आजीने  दिलेला एरंडेलाचा एका हातात  तर हाताच्या मुठीत  मसाला सुपारी आणि दोन्ही एकाच वेळी  घशात! परिणाम - तयार होत असे  तोंडात एक एक केक जो मी एका दमात जिभेने घशात ढकलू  लागलो . मी गिळगिळीत स्वादावरर अशा रीतीने  केली  मात!

आमची सर्वांत मोठी बहीण , पुष्पा आवडीने पिहित असे.एरंडेल तेल हे सांगोतले आहे .पण जेंव्हा एखादी  संपूर्ण फॅमिली ह्या एरंडेल तेलावर अक्षरशः तुटून  पडत असेल तर ? तुम्हाला खर वाटत  नाही ?पण हे मजेदार   सत्य आहे.
होते एक कुटंब . असे म्हणतात की ह्या कुटंबातील  सारे सदस्य एरंडेल तेला साठी भांडत . का तर आई  कडून मिळालेल्या  एरंडेल तेलाचे १ - २ चमचे  पिऊन झाल्या वर  चमचा चाटणार कोण  ह्या वरून भांडत.

.

विनय त्रिलोकेकर 


Friday 23 July 2021

A Tribute to my teachers



  

A Tribute to my teachers

Happy Gurupornima' to all the teachers of St. Sebastians.  We, my son, Siddhartha and me, both of us, have studied here. My son is almost settled abroad and sends greeting to all of you. I do meet his teachers, Mr. Simon, Ms. Leena D'sousa, Ms. Leena Martras, quite often and some others during school functions.  During the celebrations of St. Sebastian Day in the year 2013, I was pleasantly surprised to meet one of my teachers ( Perhaps she is the only teacher of mine, who is still alive at something 90+)  - AND IT TOOK ME DOWN THE MEMORY LANE and this is but a small tribute to my teacher and all the teachers of my son, who also studied in this great school on this DAY:

Mrs. Kusum Shridhar Desai – She came, we saw (her) and she conquered (us)!
Yes teacher, that’s exactly what you did! Your 90 years have not changed you. You are still the same. You are the epitome of enthusiasm just as you were back then. When I saw you the other  day my mind raced some 50 - 60 years back, when you must have been in your 40’s. I visualised myself sitting in the last row (I always enjoyed being a back bencher, which has given me better prospective of what unfolded before me) in the  class V A and the whole class listening to you in rapt attention ( whether it was a Hindi poem or a lesson in Marathi), just the way you did it on this very day of our re-union. Nothing has changed. ‘Hats off’ to you, my dear teacher! Your book ‘Sukhshanti’, a collection of your poems, is the most precious gift that I have received from you on this very day of 20th January, 2013. The ‘prastavna’ by your grand – daughter is very good. Thank you so much. 

I know that your husband, late Mr. Shridhar as well his brother were good Marathi poets, but I was not aware you too penned such beautiful poems. This reminds of other modest personalities, who worked in our school, who had achieved a lot (including fame) much before joining St.Sebastian and yet they never ever spoke about it, not a word and most of us, as students were not aware about their greatness.

Mr. Godbole was our 'Drawing Master' - from VIII to X and he even coached us for the 'Elementary' and the 'Intermediate' Govt. Examinations. The school conducted special classes for these Govt. exams, charging us nominal fees for the course. There was this boy, Francis Fernandes, who was very good in drawing. Mr.Godbole was surprised to know that he had not joined the special class and when he came to learn from us the reason - being an orphan, could not pay the class fees, Mr Godbole not only paid for entire fees (class as well as Govt. exam fees) but also took care of all the other costs - pains, brushes, pencils, sketch books, etc. Thanks to him Francis secured 'A' grades at both the exams. I distinctly remember. It was some years after I had passed out of the school that I read an article in 'TOI' which was somewhat like this: 

Mr. Godbole, the famous artist passes away---He was the pioneer in Indian Water colours.His research work in water  colour at the J J School of Arts, enabled the use of Indian made water colours for the first time.-------- During his last days he was working as a drawing teacher in St,Sebastian Goan High School.

The article on him accompanying his photograph, covered almost a quarter page. But it was the last line that captured my heart. How fortunate we all had been to have been taught by him! He never bragged or mentioned about this even once to us. Such a modest man

Mr. Tiwari was a science teacher in our school – St.Sebastians. We had ‘General Science’ (‘Kichidi’ or mixure of all the sciences put together) for all the students and the students could opt for either ‘Physics & Chemistry’ or ‘Physiology & Hygiene’. Mr. Tiwari took care of General Science and Chemistry for those of us who had opted for Physics & Chemistry. He had introduced us to the ‘Open Book’ concept way back in 60’s. We were studying in our S.S.C. Class then, in standard XI, to be precise. Perhaps students of earlier batches of our school had also been introduced to this concept.

He would set test papers on weekly basis on open book pattern; but he had termed these papers as ‘Objective Weekly Test ‘papers, when we were allowed to refer our text books (there weren’t any ‘Guides’ then). Those of us, who read the books thoroughly, found the papers easy, while the others did not. But in our Terminal and Preliminary Examinations such pattern was not followed. It is needless to say that the S.S.C. Board papers have never had this pattern. I do remember it distinctly, as though has happened just yesterday. He had put in a question in our Chemistry paper – ‘What is the principle behind – making hard water soft?’ There were no guides or work books then. So we had to read each and every line from our prescribed text books. But there was no mention of this particular ‘principle’ anywhere in our text book. Science and Mathematics were my favourite subjects and would read science text books of my cousin, who was in ‘ICSC’ School. Luckily for me it had the answer to that question. I was the only student who had that question correctly and he told the whole class that I would become scientist one day. When I confessed that I had read about it and also about the source of information. He was immensely impressed by my frankness and honesty. He said, “The whole idea of this exercise is to make the students read, understand the topic, remember everything that they have read and use the same when needed, and not just for the examination but during the whole life”. I still remember the incidence so clearly.

I also remember the other incidence about him. In a chapter on Vegetative Propagation of Plants in Biology in our General Science book, there was description of ‘Budding’. He told us the description was for ‘Bud Grafting’ and not ‘Budding’ (which takes in Yeast), which were two different methods. He had also written letters to that effect to the publishers.

Immediately on our passing out of from the school, the very next year he had left our school. It was said that he had some differences with the new Principal of the school.  

Rev. Father H. O. Mascarenhas was my first Principal. Yes, the same one, about whom, you can easily get the following information.

Hubert Olympus Mascarenhas, who was born in Porvorim, Goa, in 1905, died at Mumbai, on 9 February 1973, and who was a Catholic priest belonging to the Archdiocese of Bombay, ideologist of repute, and nationalist. He did his early ecclesiastical studies at the Pontifical Seminary in Kandy, Sri Lanka. In Rome, at the University of the Propaganda Fide, he took a licentiate in Canon Law as well as PhD. He was ordained in Rome in 1934, at the age of 29. Returning to Mumbai, he obtained an M.A. in English, an M.A. in Sanskrit, and a PhD in History at the University of Bombay. He was a scholar.He was appointed post-graduate teacher of Ancient Indian History and Culture at the University of Bombay, and Professor of Indian Philosophy for M.A. students at the St Xavier's College, Mumbai. His The Quintessence of Hinduism: The Key to Indian Culture and Philosophy was widely acclaimed. He is one of Richard De Smet predecessors in a 'realist' interpretation of Sankara. 

For almost 12 years (late 1940s and early 1950s) he also served as Principal of St Sebastian Goan High School, Dabul.He proposed a theory of pre-Portuguese Christianity in Goa Jose Cosme Costa reports that Mascarenhas even proposed that there were Christian temples dedicated to the persons of the Trinity: Abanath / Bhutnath (Father Lord), Ravalnath (from Rabboni - Rabulna - Rabulnath) / Bhai rav (Brother Lord), and Atman / Bhavka Devta, Santeri, Ajadevi (Spirit).  A recent archaeological discovery of a "Thomas Cross" hidden in a smallish monument, surmounted by a Latin Cross, near the old Goa harbour lends support to this thesis. The Cross bears an inscription in Pahlavi, which, Costa reports, was the liturgical language of the church associated with the Metropolitan of Fars.He also participated in the Konkani movement in Mumbai, and did work for the Konkani Bhasha Mandal.  He was nationalist to the core. As an indologist and a linguist ( He was expert, both spoken as well as written, in many foreign languages- Portuguese, German , French , Spanish, English and many Indian languages- Marathi, Konkani, Hindi, Bengali, Sanskrit.)  he attracted the attention of nationalist leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Kaka Kalelkar and S.S. Mulgaonkar. His patriotism and espousal of Indian nationalism brought him into conflict with the ecclesiastical authorities

 It was my father's  last wish that I should be enrolled in an English medium school. But my mother found it extremely hard to do so owing to financial constrains - supporting four daughters and a son- all not even in their teens. So I was put in a vernacular ( Marathi medium) school. For two years I struggled there - I could not master the Marathi or Devnagri script - my teacher- she was called 'Tai bai' would often shout at me and throw my note book (or was it slate), saying, " What is this? Chicken legs? Your अ,आ, इ,ई are nothing but dancing insects."  Mr. Vagal, - (father of Lalita, a friend of my eldest sister) knew Rev. Fasther Mascarenhas and it was through him that I got admission in St. Sebastian. Right from the day one, the Principal sort of took me under his wings. There were a few other weak students like me coming from poor families, who were benefited in this manner. Learning the English alphabets wasn't easy either. He assigned Miss Narohna, the class teacher of II standard to teach me after / before the regular school class hours. He too monitored my progress as well as of the others on regular basis. He would give the feed back to our parents / guardian in the the language they could understand. He would speak to my classmate Ashok Pal's mother in fluent Bengali and to my mother in Marathi. I do not whether it was a tittle given to himbut the the sign board on his office door read : Sacchidanand (meaning Always Truthful & Happy) Rev. Father Hubert Olympus Mascarenhas. He was so kind, loving and caring. He was very kind to a fault perhaps. A story goes that he would readily accept drop outs and discarded students from other schools. And for this gesture Jokim, who was dismissed from St.Theresa, would always indebted to him - so he would often tell me.

 Miss Narohna: Just like Rev. Father Mascrenhas, Miss Narohna was also very kind and loving teacher. As I have mentioned, she used to teach me even before she became my class teacher in Std.II. She would often call me at herresidence and would teach me at her residence along with some other children (free tuition).  She had taught me how to study on my own, this helped in teaching my own children and conducting my own 'pvt. coaching work' and thus helping my students as well.  I was often invited, practically each and every year by her to celebrate Christmas with her family. She coached me thus up to the IV class. But I continued to visit her house even afterwards, to seek her blessings and guidance, until she left for England after her marriage. 

When I was in the V class Rev. Father Mascrenhas was transferred to other school and Rev. Father F.X. Fernandes became our new Principal.   

Rev.Father F.X. Fernandes: Father Fernandes was our Principal from V Class to the beginning of Class X. He was very strict and disciplinarian. During his tenure our school took giant strides. Our students excelled in sports (winning Tata Shields in Athletics, various Inter-school Hockey and Football titles) as well as in academic fields. In the S.S.C. Examination of March 1965 my classmate Ajit Gaikwad came in the merit list, stood 30th. It was indeed Golden Era of school.

Most of our teachers were very good, but not all, mind you.  There was this teacher (I won’t name him. I have named only those of whom I have considered to be instrumental in shaping and mould my life. ) Not infrequently I was scornfully panned by this very teacher, who seemed to enjoy watching me wince under his satirical jabs. A question, having been bungled or muffed by forty or fifty, would be tossed at me in some such fashion as, “And of course you, you wouldn’t know, would you. Vinay?”  He was our Social Studies (History, Geography & Civics) Teacher in Std. VIII and IX.  During Geography periods he would often pin up World Map on the black board and would ask the class to point out where   ‘ Rangoon’ or  ‘Malabar’  were, irrespective whether that particular lesson had anything to do Burma, Karnataka and Kerala or not.  Once he had asked me to tell me the characteristics of people from Malabar.  “They are dark complexioned people, who are not so kind to kids like me,” out came my prompt reply.   “Are you looking at me and talking about me?” he had asked.  Needless to say, I got the thrashing of my life. It seems he came from Burma and had settled in the coastal region of Malabar.  Our History books were translations from ‘Marathi’ books.  Once he called some Maratha leader ‘Mavali’, and explaining that meant that he was a rogue, hooligan, hoodlum, ruffian because in our History book it was clearly written that ‘such and such king was ‘mavali’. While I was studying, the said lesson my sister corrected me that he was a  ‘मावळी’  i.e. belonging to one of the royal clans of the Marathas; and not ‘मवाली’ (which means what the teacher had told us) both being spelt as ‘mavali’;  hence the confusion. When I had tried to explain this to him, he said that I was ‘acting smart’.  During the initial days of Std.VIII  he would teach us English too. But soon Mr. S.V. Burde, who was our Mathematics Teacher, took over from him and began to teach us English. I thank God for it! Otherwise I would have remained weak in English as well just the way I was in Social Studies.

Mr. S.V. Burde v/s Mr. Keni: Mr. Burde taught us Maths from VIII to X and English from VIII to XI (S.S.C.) He was our Class teacher in XI. In XI Mr. Keni taught us Mathematics as well as Physics and Chemistry. Both had different style of teaching Maths.

Mr. Keni had a knack to make even a dud understand all the concepts of the subject, he made it very interesting and easy, but always insisted that a sum had to be solved  in one particular way – his way, and no other way, plain ‘mechanical’ way involving ‘no thinking’. Even when he taught us chemistry he would tell us easy ways to remember difficult chemical names of ‘elements’ and ‘compounds’. In Chemistry, we had a chapter on ‘The Periodic Classification of Elements’ and he had told us to learn a sentence which would enable us to remember the fifteen elements in the ‘LANTHANIDE’ series (Rare Earths). I still remember that absurd sentence which he made us learn and thus all those lanthanides:

Last Centaur Presently NeedPrimSmall European GodTbDyed wHolly Early Tomorrow, whY bLudicrous? Although it sounds absurd (ludicrous), it made us remember the symbol of these elements

. Mr. Keni was simple man he would go about his work very smoothly without talking about any other person or thing – enter the class, teach the subjects that he taught and leave the class, that’s that. Another thing that he did was that he always carried (a green coloured) SSC Board Syllabus and always referred to it while teaching us.

Whereas Mr.Burde was different; would always encourage innovation from us, though both were very good. Neither of them saw eye to eye with each other. Mr. Burde, who was epitome of sarcasm, would often say, “I do not carry any green book with me as others do (and we would all laugh knowing who he was referring to) and I am not preparing you for your SSC Examination. I want all of you to excel in life and so I am teaching the subject, all the essence and nuances of the language.”   He was intelligent and very knowledgeable.  The sound of his voice still reverberates in my ears. He was reciting Willium Wordsworth’s  ‘Upon Westminister Bridge':

Westminster Bridge, as we all know, is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames in London, linking Westminster on the north side and Lambeth on the south side. One fine morning as he was passing over the bridge  the poet moved by the splendour that lay before his eyes – everything that morning was different – there was no smoke in the air, no hustle- bustle, he was explaining to us, and so moved was the poet that he penned this poem.  

Mr. Burde‘s explanations of prose lessons as well as of poems was excellent. He would often tell us about the background of authors and poets, telling us in detail the circumstances behind writing of a particular poem. He would bring out all the characters in the lesson alive and we could actually visualize all of them – there were hardly any illustrations, yet we could easily imagine visually ‘Jim, Captain Billy Bones, Long John Silver or Black Dog’ from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, or Mr.Murdstone, David, David’s mother and the housekeeper-Miss Peggotty from  Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield.  But the best was reserved for Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudices’. We had just  a passage from the novel but he had narrated the entire story and thus kindled a desire to read the book. He had explained to us how the story set at the turn of the 19th century, it holds true in modern times and still retains a fascination for readers of this century as well.  The very opening is so fascinating:

‘It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters.’

Mr. Burde made us understand Mr. Bennet’s ironic, cynical sense of humour, reserve, caprice, and lively sarcasm by referring to such quotes ( and even analyzing them for us)

[ Mrs Bennet: Do not you want to know who has taken it?] Mr. Bennet: “You want to tell me, and I have no objection hearing it.”

[Mrs. Bennet: What a fine thing for our girls.] Mr. Bennet:”How so? How can it affect them?

[Mrs. Bennet: You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.] Mr. Bennet: ”Is that his design in settling here?”

. Joshi: Mr. Joshi was our Marathi and Sanskrit teacher from VIII to the beginning of our X academic year, until he died in the month of August of that year. He was good, strict disciplinarian and that is why some of us considered him cruel, but it was his kind cruelty that ultimately many of us were prevented from going astray. He insisted that we studied regularly and he would take our lessons on regular basis. I knew all the students individually. Ajit Gaikwad was very clever ( he came in the SSC Merit List, stood 30th ) and he too couldn’t escape from Mr. Joshi. “Ajit, you are just study, study and study. Go out and play. It will certainly be good for your health and personality.” “Shreekant, you don’t study. Do you want to become your brother’s compounder?” (Dr. Ramesh Telang, his brother, was our ex student) Had it not been for Mr. Joshi’s disciplining him Shreekant would not have achieved so much in life. (LMM, Writer of many Law books, Lecturer in Law College and Music Director.) To Dilip Burde (Mr. Burde’s son) he would quite often tell, “Dilip, yes you did answer. But you haven’t studied it at home. I am sure you must have studied it just a few moments back. You are depending on your memory. Wait till I tell your father.” “Kiran, you say that you have studied it home. Then get a chit from your mother confirming it. And Vinay, you too get it.” “But sir, how will my mother give such a note? I have not studied that lesson,” I would say. “You, shameless boy!”  One day he started telling us about our duties , as son, towards our parents,in this manner,  ii
, “As a son, to light funeral pyre and perform the last rites of your parents are your only duties towards them? You are their hope and aspiration, Always be a good person in life. Have good habits and discard the bad ones, for your own good.”  He had asked many of us, individually and separately, whether we smoked, telling us how smoking had ruined his health and how he couldn’t give up that bad habit despite stern warning from his doctor. When I had told him I hadn’t ever, he made me promise him that I would never smoke in my life. Next day he was no more, he had died. And I have kept my promise.

Happy Gurupornima' to all the teachers of St. Sebastians.  We, my son, Siddhartha and me, both of us, have studied here. My son is almost settled abroad and sends greeting to all of you. I do meet his teachers, Mr. Simon, Ms. Leena D'sousa, Ms. Leena Martras, quite often and some others during school functions.  During the celebrations of St. Sebastian Day in the year 2013, I was pleasantly surprised to meet one of my teachers ( Perhaps she is the only teacher of mine, who is still alive at something 90+)  - AND IT TOOK ME DOWN THE MEMORY LANE and this is but a small tribute to my teacher and all the teachers of my son, who also studied in this great school on this DAY:

Mrs. Kusum Shridhar Desai – She came, we saw (her) and she conquered (us)!
Yes teacher, that’s exactly what you did! Your 90 years have not changed you. You are still the same. You are the epitome of enthusiasm just as you were back then. When I saw you the other  day my mind raced some 50 - 60 years back, when you must have been in your 40’s. I visualised myself sitting in the last row (I always enjoyed being a back bencher, which has given me better prospective of what unfolded before me) in the  class V A and the whole class listening to you in rapt attention ( whether it was a Hindi poem or a lesson in Marathi), just the way you did it on this very day of our re-union. Nothing has changed. ‘Hats off’ to you, my dear teacher! Your book ‘Sukhshanti’, a collection of your poems, is the most precious gift that I have received from you on this very day of 20th January, 2013. The ‘prastavna’ by your grand – daughter is very good. Thank you so much. 

I know that your husband, late Mr. Shridhar as well his brother were good Marathi poets, but I was not aware you too penned such beautiful poems. This reminds of other modest personalities, who worked in our school, who had achieved a lot (including fame) much before joining St.Sebastian and yet they never ever spoke about it, not a word and most of us, as students were not aware about their greatness.

Mr. Godbole was our 'Drawing Master' - from VIII to X and he even coached us for the 'Elementary' and the 'Intermediate' Govt. Examinations. The school conducted special classes for these Govt. exams, charging us nominal fees for the course. There was this boy, Francis Fernandes, who was very good in drawing. Mr.Godbole was surprised to know that he had not joined the special class and when he came to learn from us the reason - being an orphan, could not pay the class fees, Mr Godbole not only paid for entire fees (class as well as Govt. exam fees) but also took care of all the other costs - pains, brushes, pencils, sketch books, etc. Thanks to him Francis secured 'A' grades at both the exams. I distinctly remember. It was some years after I had passed out of the school that I read an article in 'TOI' which was somewhat like this: 

Mr. Godbole, the famous artist passes away---He was the pioneer in Indian Water colours.His research work in water  colour at the J J School of Arts, enabled the use of Indian made water colours for the first time.-------- During his last days he was working as a drawing teacher in St,Sebastian Goan High School.

The article on him accompanying his photograph, covered almost a quarter page. But it was the last line that captured my heart. How fortunate we all had been to have been taught by him! He never bragged or mentioned about this even once to us. Such a modest man

Mr. Tiwari was a science teacher in our school – St.Sebastians. We had ‘General Science’ (‘Kichidi’ or mixure of all the sciences put together) for all the students and the students could opt for either ‘Physics & Chemistry’ or ‘Physiology & Hygiene’. Mr. Tiwari took care of General Science and Chemistry for those of us who had opted for Physics & Chemistry. He had introduced us to the ‘Open Book’ concept way back in 60’s. We were studying in our S.S.C. Class then, in standard XI, to be precise. Perhaps students of earlier batches of our school had also been introduced to this concept.

He would set test papers on weekly basis on open book pattern; but he had termed these papers as ‘Objective Weekly Test ‘papers, when we were allowed to refer our text books (there weren’t any ‘Guides’ then). Those of us, who read the books thoroughly, found the papers easy, while the others did not. But in our Terminal and Preliminary Examinations such pattern was not followed. It is needless to say that the S.S.C. Board papers have never had this pattern. I do remember it distinctly, as though has happened just yesterday. He had put in a question in our Chemistry paper – ‘What is the principle behind – making hard water soft?’ There were no guides or work books then. So we had to read each and every line from our prescribed text books. But there was no mention of this particular ‘principle’ anywhere in our text book. Science and Mathematics were my favourite subjects and would read science text books of my cousin, who was in ‘ICSC’ School. Luckily for me it had the answer to that question. I was the only student who had that question correctly and he told the whole class that I would become scientist one day. When I confessed that I had read about it and also about the source of information. He was immensely impressed by my frankness and honesty. He said, “The whole idea of this exercise is to make the students read, understand the topic, remember everything that they have read and use the same when needed, and not just for the examination but during the whole life”. I still remember the incidence so clearly.

I also remember the other incidence about him. In a chapter on Vegetative Propagation of Plants in Biology in our General Science book, there was description of ‘Budding’. He told us the description was for ‘Bud Grafting’ and not ‘Budding’ (which takes in Yeast), which were two different methods. He had also written letters to that effect to the publishers.

Immediately on our passing out of from the school, the very next year he had left our school. It was said that he had some differences with the new Principal of the school.  

Rev. Father H. O. Mascarenhas was my first Principal. Yes, the same one, about whom, you can easily get the following information.

Hubert Olympus Mascarenhas, who was born in Porvorim, Goa, in 1905, died at Mumbai, on 9 February 1973, and who was a Catholic priest belonging to the Archdiocese of Bombay, ideologist of repute, and nationalist. He did his early ecclesiastical studies at the Pontifical Seminary in Kandy, Sri Lanka. In Rome, at the University of the Propaganda Fide, he took a licentiate in Canon Law as well as PhD. He was ordained in Rome in 1934, at the age of 29. Returning to Mumbai, he obtained an M.A. in English, an M.A. in Sanskrit, and a PhD in History at the University of Bombay. He was a scholar.He was appointed post-graduate teacher of Ancient Indian History and Culture at the University of Bombay, and Professor of Indian Philosophy for M.A. students at the St Xavier's College, Mumbai. His The Quintessence of Hinduism: The Key to Indian Culture and Philosophy was widely acclaimed. He is one of Richard De Smet predecessors in a 'realist' interpretation of Sankara. 

For almost 12 years (late 1940s and early 1950s) he also served as Principal of St Sebastian Goan High School, Dabul.He proposed a theory of pre-Portuguese Christianity in Goa Jose Cosme Costa reports that Mascarenhas even proposed that there were Christian temples dedicated to the persons of the Trinity: Abanath / Bhutnath (Father Lord), Ravalnath (from Rabboni - Rabulna - Rabulnath) / Bhai rav (Brother Lord), and Atman / Bhavka Devta, Santeri, Ajadevi (Spirit).  A recent archaeological discovery of a "Thomas Cross" hidden in a smallish monument, surmounted by a Latin Cross, near the old Goa harbour lends support to this thesis. The Cross bears an inscription in Pahlavi, which, Costa reports, was the liturgical language of the church associated with the Metropolitan of Fars.He also participated in the Konkani movement in Mumbai, and did work for the Konkani Bhasha Mandal.  He was nationalist to the core. As an indologist and a linguist ( He was expert, both spoken as well as written, in many foreign languages- Portuguese, German , French , Spanish, English and many Indian languages- Marathi, Konkani, Hindi, Bengali, Sanskrit.)  he attracted the attention of nationalist leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Kaka Kalelkar and S.S. Mulgaonkar. His patriotism and espousal of Indian nationalism brought him into conflict with the ecclesiastical authorities

 It was my father's  last wish that I should be enrolled in an English medium school. But my mother found it extremely hard to do so owing to financial constrains - supporting four daughters and a son- all not even in their teens. So I was put in a vernacular ( Marathi medium) school. For two years I struggled there - I could not master the Marathi or Devnagri script - my teacher- she was called 'Tai bai' would often shout at me and throw my note book (or was it slate), saying, " What is this? Chicken legs? Your अ,आ, इ,ई are nothing but dancing insects."  Mr. Vagal, - (father of Lalita, a friend of my eldest sister) knew Rev. Fasther Mascarenhas and it was through him that I got admission in St. Sebastian. Right from the day one, the Principal sort of took me under his wings. There were a few other weak students like me coming from poor families, who were benefited in this manner. Learning the English alphabets wasn't easy either. He assigned Miss Narohna, the class teacher of II standard to teach me after / before the regular school class hours. He too monitored my progress as well as of the others on regular basis. He would give the feed back to our parents / guardian in the the language they could understand. He would speak to my classmate Ashok Pal's mother in fluent Bengali and to my mother in Marathi. I do not whether it was a tittle given to himbut the the sign board on his office door read : Sacchidanand (meaning Always Truthful & Happy) Rev. Father Hubert Olympus Mascarenhas. He was so kind, loving and caring. He was very kind to a fault perhaps. A story goes that he would readily accept drop outs and discarded students from other schools. And for this gesture Jokim, who was dismissed from St.Theresa, would always indebted to him - so he would often tell me.

 Miss Narohna: Just like Rev. Father Mascrenhas, Miss Narohna was also very kind and loving teacher. As I have mentioned, she used to teach me even before she became my class teacher in Std.II. She would often call me at herresidence and would teach me at her residence along with some other children (free tuition).  She had taught me how to study on my own, this helped in teaching my own children and conducting my own 'pvt. coaching work' and thus helping my students as well.  I was often invited, practically each and every year by her to celebrate Christmas with her family. She coached me thus up to the IV class. But I continued to visit her house even afterwards, to seek her blessings and guidance, until she left for England after her marriage. 

When I was in the V class Rev. Father Mascrenhas was transferred to other school and Rev. Father F.X. Fernandes became our new Principal.   

Rev.Father F.X. Fernandes: Father Fernandes was our Principal from V Class to the beginning of Class X. He was very strict and disciplinarian. During his tenure our school took giant strides. Our students excelled in sports (winning Tata Shields in Athletics, various Inter-school Hockey and Football titles) as well as in academic fields. In the S.S.C. Examination of March 1965 my classmate Ajit Gaikwad came in the merit list, stood 30th. It was indeed Golden Era of school.

Most of our teachers were very good, but not all, mind you.  There was this teacher (I won’t name him. I have named only those of whom I have considered to be instrumental in shaping and mould my life. ) Not infrequently I was scornfully panned by this very teacher, who seemed to enjoy watching me wince under his satirical jabs. A question, having been bungled or muffed by forty or fifty, would be tossed at me in some such fashion as, “And of course you, you wouldn’t know, would you. Vinay?”  He was our Social Studies (History, Geography & Civics) Teacher in Std. VIII and IX.  During Geography periods he would often pin up World Map on the black board and would ask the class to point out where   ‘ Rangoon’ or  ‘Malabar’  were, irrespective whether that particular lesson had anything to do Burma, Karnataka and Kerala or not.  Once he had asked me to tell me the characteristics of people from Malabar.  “They are dark complexioned people, who are not so kind to kids like me,” out came my prompt reply.   “Are you looking at me and talking about me?” he had asked.  Needless to say, I got the thrashing of my life. It seems he came from Burma and had settled in the coastal region of Malabar.  Our History books were translations from ‘Marathi’ books.  Once he called some Maratha leader ‘Mavali’, and explaining that meant that he was a rogue, hooligan, hoodlum, ruffian because in our History book it was clearly written that ‘such and such king was ‘mavali’. While I was studying, the said lesson my sister corrected me that he was a  ‘मावळी’  i.e. belonging to one of the royal clans of the Marathas; and not ‘मवाली’ (which means what the teacher had told us) both being spelt as ‘mavali’;  hence the confusion. When I had tried to explain this to him, he said that I was ‘acting smart’.  During the initial days of Std.VIII  he would teach us English too. But soon Mr. S.V. Burde, who was our Mathematics Teacher, took over from him and began to teach us English. I thank God for it! Otherwise I would have remained weak in English as well just the way I was in Social Studies.

Mr. S.V. Burde v/s Mr. Keni: Mr. Burde taught us Maths from VIII to X and English from VIII to XI (S.S.C.) He was our Class teacher in XI. In XI Mr. Keni taught us Mathematics as well as Physics and Chemistry. Both had different style of teaching Maths.

Mr. Keni had a knack to make even a dud understand all the concepts of the subject, he made it very interesting and easy, but always insisted that a sum had to be solved  in one particular way – his way, and no other way, plain ‘mechanical’ way involving ‘no thinking’. Even when he taught us chemistry he would tell us easy ways to remember difficult chemical names of ‘elements’ and ‘compounds’. In Chemistry, we had a chapter on ‘The Periodic Classification of Elements’ and he had told us to learn a sentence which would enable us to remember the fifteen elements in the ‘LANTHANIDE’ series (Rare Earths). I still remember that absurd sentence which he made us learn and thus all those lanthanides:

Last Centaur Presently NeedPrimSmall European GodTbDyed wHolly Early Tomorrow, whY bLudicrous? Although it sounds absurd (ludicrous), it made us remember the symbol of these elements

. Mr. Keni was simple man he would go about his work very smoothly without talking about any other person or thing – enter the class, teach the subjects that he taught and leave the class, that’s that. Another thing that he did was that he always carried (a green coloured) SSC Board Syllabus and always referred to it while teaching us.

Whereas Mr.Burde was different; would always encourage innovation from us, though both were very good. Neither of them saw eye to eye with each other. Mr. Burde, who was epitome of sarcasm, would often say, “I do not carry any green book with me as others do (and we would all laugh knowing who he was referring to) and I am not preparing you for your SSC Examination. I want all of you to excel in life and so I am teaching the subject, all the essence and nuances of the language.”   He was intelligent and very knowledgeable.  The sound of his voice still reverberates in my ears. He was reciting Willium Wordsworth’s  ‘Upon Westminister Bridge':

Westminster Bridge, as we all know, is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames in London, linking Westminster on the north side and Lambeth on the south side. One fine morning as he was passing over the bridge  the poet moved by the splendour that lay before his eyes – everything that morning was different – there was no smoke in the air, no hustle- bustle, he was explaining to us, and so moved was the poet that he penned this poem.  

Mr. Burde‘s explanations of prose lessons as well as of poems was excellent. He would often tell us about the background of authors and poets, telling us in detail the circumstances behind writing of a particular poem. He would bring out all the characters in the lesson alive and we could actually visualize all of them – there were hardly any illustrations, yet we could easily imagine visually ‘Jim, Captain Billy Bones, Long John Silver or Black Dog’ from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, or Mr.Murdstone, David, David’s mother and the housekeeper-Miss Peggotty from  Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield.  But the best was reserved for Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudices’. We had just  a passage from the novel but he had narrated the entire story and thus kindled a desire to read the book. He had explained to us how the story set at the turn of the 19th century, it holds true in modern times and still retains a fascination for readers of this century as well.  The very opening is so fascinating:

‘It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters.’

Mr. Burde made us understand Mr. Bennet’s ironic, cynical sense of humour, reserve, caprice, and lively sarcasm by referring to such quotes ( and even analyzing them for us)

[ Mrs Bennet: Do not you want to know who has taken it?] Mr. Bennet: “You want to tell me, and I have no objection hearing it.”

[Mrs. Bennet: What a fine thing for our girls.] Mr. Bennet:”How so? How can it affect them?

[Mrs. Bennet: You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.] Mr. Bennet: ”Is that his design in settling here?”

. Joshi: Mr. Joshi was our Marathi and Sanskrit teacher from VIII to the beginning of our X academic year, until he died in the month of August of that year. He was good, strict disciplinarian and that is why some of us considered him cruel, but it was his kind cruelty that ultimately many of us were prevented from going astray. He insisted that we studied regularly and he would take our lessons on regular basis. I knew all the students individually. Ajit Gaikwad was very clever ( he came in the SSC Merit List, stood 30th ) and he too couldn’t escape from Mr. Joshi. “Ajit, you are just study, study and study. Go out and play. It will certainly be good for your health and personality.” “Shreekant, you don’t study. Do you want to become your brother’s compounder?” (Dr. Ramesh Telang, his brother, was our ex student) Had it not been for Mr. Joshi’s disciplining him Shreekant would not have achieved so much in life. (LMM, Writer of many Law books, Lecturer in Law College and Music Director.) To Dilip Burde (Mr. Burde’s son) he would quite often tell, “Dilip, yes you did answer. But you haven’t studied it at home. I am sure you must have studied it just a few moments back. You are depending on your memory. Wait till I tell your father.” “Kiran, you say that you have studied it home. Then get a chit from your mother confirming it. And Vinay, you too get it.” “But sir, how will my mother give such a note? I have not studied that lesson,” I would say. “You, shameless boy!”  One day he started telling us about our duties , as son, towards our parents,in this manner,  ii
, “As a son, to light funeral pyre and perform the last rites of your parents are your only duties towards them? You are their hope and aspiration, Always be a good person in life. Have good habits and discard the bad ones, for your own good.”  He had asked many of us, individually and separately, whether we smoked, telling us how smoking had ruined his health and how he couldn’t give up that bad habit despite stern warning from his doctor. When I had told him I hadn’t ever, he made me promise him that I would never smoke in my life. Next day he was no more, he had died. And I have kept my promise.
Vinay  Trilokekar